Wednesday, 7 February 2007

Too much money

I've just checked my diary and have a meeting tomorrow. Marmalade making is off.

On the other hand, several inches of snow are forecast for tomorrow. The meeting might be off.

The chickens are becoming used to their new home in the greenhouse. They may be glad of it by tomorrow.

I was chatting to the WI treasurer last night. She asked my if I'd like to claim for expenses for the four polyanthus I'd taken for the table flowers. "Goodness, no," I said. "They only cost 50p each." She explained that, with the increase in subscriptions, our branch is expecting to have a £500 surplus and so they are offering people who do the food and flowers the cost of them.

I had forgotten that the subscription is imposed by Head Office. They want to have a big increase in the sum paid for affiliation to the national group and are justifying it by sending out a glossy magazine to each member - there always has been a magazine, but it has been paid for separately if you want it. I suppose that they don't want to be seen to be taking a higher percentage of the sub, so the sub has been raised enough to maintain a tactful proportion. Our expenses are not high, however, as it is, so we will probably have to spend our surplus on parties. One can resign from the National Federation and just become a friendly group, and some WIs have, but they have to hand back anything they have with the WI name, even if it was made and paid for by the group. For example, we have two tablecloths, embroidered by members, one to commemorate the 80th anniversary and the other to celebrate the different elements of Denton village life as lived by WI members. Heavy handed? Feels like it. I haven't been on the committee for years though, I only go because I see friends there, some of whom I don't see anywhere else.

I must dry my hair and put on my face, I'm playing the organ for a funeral this morning. I am still not sure what it says about me, that I've planned my own funeral already. Not that I expect it to happen any time soon. But I've chosen the hymns, the reading and the coffin. So long as I overcome diffidence and tell my family what they all are, it will be excellent.

And I gave one of the polyanthus to the treasurer, one to the friend who gave me a lift and will give one to Dilly. The other is for me.

5 comments:

I admire you for having planned your funeral. As long as I'm cremated I'm happy and as long as MTL'S and my ashes are scattered in the same place - we've decided against Port Mahomack where most of his family are as it is too much to expect younger members to trail up there. And we have been very happy here and all the family visit ragularly. But as for the ceremony I can't get MTL to discuss it seriously and it does worry me.

I don't want to be cremated, Pat as I like the thought of being useful and rotting down gently, to feed the worms and enrich the soil.

My mother married twice - when my father died she had a double-depth grave dug for her too, but then when my step-father died, she did the same thing. "I've got burial plots all over Suffolk!" she used to say. I'll write about her funeral one day, I expect - it was quite complicated (not that she was split between husbands, I hasten to add).

Oh, and I haven't discussed funerals with my husband, mine or his - I'm sure he would be disconcerted at the thought and not have anything to say except that he'd leave it to me, if it was him. But as he is a lot older than me, it doesn't seem polite even to bring it up.

I'd suggest, for yourself, write down what you want and tell your sons where you've put it.

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